Chapter 13
Daniel
There was no way. No way.
But as though by magic, as if he’d heard me, I saw him suddenly turn around and gaze through the crowd. He wore a small, worried frown. I wet my lips as nerves pricked at my gut.
“Holy hell,” I muttered, scrubbing a hand down my chin. It was him alright.
I quickly scanned the bar, looking for anyone else all in white. But if they were there, I didn’t see them. And truthfully, I wasn’t sure I cared.
It was only at that moment, staring down the barrel of what might be my true fated mate that I had an epiphany.
I had a crush on Finneas Byrne, and I had since the first moment I’d laid eyes on him.
He stared at his watch with a forlorn look on his face.
What should I do?
Without thinking, I suddenly hid behind a pillar, wanting to shake myself at my stupidity. Was I hiding? From a little Omega?
I laughed; the sound was almost crazed which caused a few people standing beside me to cast worried looks in my direction before quickly walking off.
He’d be pissed.
Oh god, he’d be hella pissed if I was the one who walked up to him. He hated my guts. I knew it. I’d known it. Which was probably why I’d buried my feelings for him so deeply that I’d not been fully aware of them until now.
I rubbed my forehead.
Should I stay?
Go?
I checked my watch. I was now officially ten minutes late.
I cringed, then peeked around the corner, and like I’d suddenly been sucker punched my chest ached at the sight of the obvious distress on his face.
If “Eggplant” walked out now he’d never know it was me and I could slowly woo him for real and Eggplant could be relegated to an unsavory cliff note in his life. Nothing more. He’d never think I might have catfished him and all would be well with the world.
Except…
I sighed, that would be starting things off with a lie. A lie that if ever caught could land me in worse trouble. No, honesty was the best policy. But damn, why couldn’t it have been him and not me needing to step on the landmine of integrity. I snorted.
A male alpha approached him, swooping in like a lion for the kill and Finn shook his head. But unlike most of the others who’d accepted his rejection with a polite nod, this guy was more aggressive—refusing to move or give Finn much space to breathe. He was like a gnat, buzzing around his head refusing to take no for an answer.
Clenching my jaw, I stepped out from behind the pillar and without much of a plan, walked straight up to them. I hooked my finger into the guy's jacket and not so politely shoved him away.
“He said no.”
The hipster try-hard looked upset and like he wanted a fight. Careful not to hurt Finn, I released just a small amount of pheromones. Pheromones laced with a cocky fury that clearly said: Go ahead and just try me.
Eyes hidden behind coke bottle glasses widened and he held up his hands in the universal gesture of surrender.
I smirked.
“I know my boyfriend’s pretty, but you’re way out of your league, buddy,” I taunted, and then wrapped my arm around Finn’s waist.
He sucked in a sharp breath, and I halfway expected him to slap my hand off too. But he did the most unexpected thing instead.
Planting a hand on my chest, he leaned his head on me and whispered, “Why’d you make me wait so long, dummy?”
For a second, for a quick second, my heart stuttered, and I wondered if he knew it was me. My fingers curled into his shirt as my heart hammered wildly in my chest.
The other guy grunted a piss-poor apology before disappearing back into the crowd.
Finn instantly took a step back. “You,” he said.
Though he didn’t sound as annoyed as he usually did when he addressed me, no, he sounded sad and it bothered me.
“Well, I guess you did save me. Again. So, thanks.” He sighed. “You know, I thought I might have met a good one this time. But I guess that’s what I get for thinking,” he said with a bitter-sounding chuckle before finishing off whatever had been left in his glass.
For the first time in my life, I didn’t know what to do. So, I just stood there, like an idiot, debating whether to fess up or not. He was being nice, and I was weirdly loathe to lose that if I confessed now.
But then the light caught the corner of Finn’s eyes, and they looked wet like he was holding back tears.
Yeah, no. Crying because the sex was fucking phenomenal, that was one thing, but crying because my alter ego broke his heart… that was a bridge too far.
Steeling myself for the blowback that was sure to come I clamped my hands on his shoulders and asked, “Are you—”
He swatted at my hands, but my grip was firm, and he couldn’t shake me.
“I’m not crying.”
Which means he was. But why?
“Finn, I—”
“Look,” he said as he knuckled at his right eye and sniffed softly, “don’t let me hold you back from whatever you came here to do. Find a date, or whatever. I’m just… I’m gonna go, I think. This was a stupid id—”
Those tears felt like body blows and before I lost my nerve even further, I blurted out, “It’s me.”
He frowned. “What?”
I leaned down a little as he leaned up, the music and the crowd noise were so loud.
“It’s me, Finny.” I wet my lips. “Egg…plant.”
Oh god, that had been hard. I grimaced.
For a second, he looked confused, but then his eyes widened, and he shook his head. “No. Nuh-uh. No way. What?!”
I dropped my hands and shrugged. “Um. Sweetie. Bum. It’s really me.”
He gasped, covered his mouth with his hands, and then raced away. Moving so fast he looked to set a world record.
I chased after him, bumping into people and muttering apologies left and right. But my eyes were only on him. I caught up to him a block later.
“No!” he said, twirling around and pointing angrily at me. “You. You… you knew, right? You knew. This was a joke to you. I’m a joke!”
Realizing we were being watched, I grabbed his hand. He tried to pull away, but I refused to let him go. I knew if I did, he’d probably never talk to me again and I really, really needed him to.
Tucking into a back alleyway, I shook my head. “Finn, just think about it for a second, okay? If you didn’t know it was me, how could I have possibly known it was you?”
He opened his mouth, but no words came out. He turned his face aside. Afraid to rile him up too much, I talked to him like I would an angry kitten.
“I wasn’t late, Finn. I just… I didn’t know what to do when I saw you. I wasn’t sure if you’d want to see me. If you’d be disappointed the second you realized, it was me.”
Instantly he snapped around to look at me, there was a touch of anger burning in his eyes, but there was something else much more prominent. Humiliation. Maybe shame.
“You’re really my 99?”
He seemed calmer now. Cautiously, I dropped his hands and breathed a sigh of relief when he didn’t instantly bolt.
“Surprise,” I said weakly.
But Finn didn’t laugh. He looked hurt and confused. He wrapped his arms around himself.
I clenched my hands. “Please don’t be mad. I promise I didn’t try to fool you. I didn’t know.”
He pinched his forehead with his hand, looking down at his feet. “How is this even possible?”
I shrugged. “I don’t know. But, Finn, is it really that bad?”
He looked at me. Uncertainty was reflected back at me. “I don’t know. Maybe. I mean, you hate my guts.”
“Since when?” I blinked, wondering when in the hell he’d gotten that idea.
“Since forever!” he flung up his hands. “You’re always teasing me. Especially around others. Everyone knows you can’t stand me. I mean, you make it so obvious.
“What? I don’t hate you. I never did hate you. I actually kind of like you.” A lot. I didn’t dare say that last part.
He looked incredulous. “What?”
I went to reach for him, but he was quick to stay out of reach. Letting me know there was a line he would not allow me to cross. I held up my hands in a soothing gesture.
“Okay. Okay. I got it. Look, I think there’s been a misunderstanding. I don’t hate you. Never have. In fact, you impress me. Constantly. Your work is immaculate. I only pick on you because otherwise I’d be heaping too much praise on you and making everyone else think there’s favoritism.”
His brows twitched and I nodded.
“I’m not lying. And yeah, maybe I bust your balls a bit, but that’s only because I wanna…” I ran my palm down the back of my neck, “…talk to you.”
Man, that’d sounded lame even to my ears.
He gave a disbelieving frown.
“So, you’re telling me that you really signed up for an app to find your future Fate? You?” he scoffed, and I winced at the acerbic tone in his voice and the obvious disdain.
I swallowed, feeling deflated.
Instantly, he looked contrite and whispered, “Sorry. That was low of me. I didn’t—”
I shook my head and gave him a lopsided grin. “You don’t have to apologize to me, Finn. I get it. I know the manwhore I look like.”
“Hey, no wait. I didn’t mean it like that. Man, I’m sorry. That was super douchy of me. I’m—” His hands were clasped in a prayer pose.
I took a step back. “Look, I’ve still got a mountain of work to wrap up before someone takes over the rest of my accounts. I’m pretty sure the last thing you want is to be with me a second longer. So, I’m gonna go.” I gestured over my shoulder.
Finn winced and reached for me but never touched. “Daniel, I’m sorry. I’m really sorry. I just had a shitty day, and I took it out on you.”
I gently ruffled his hair, but unlike usual when he’d swat me off, this time he stood still and allowed it.
“Ah,” I snatched my hand back. “Habit. My bad. Look, I’ll stop teasing you at the office, okay. And I hope you’ll take on the project, even if you do have to work with me. It’s a great opportunity for you.”
“Daniel. Please, I’m—“
I gave him a soft smile. “You don’t have to say sorry again. Okay. I’m good. We’re good. Sorry for tonight. I’ll unmatch us.”
With my heart in my throat, I turned and raced the five blocks back to home. Feeling empty and more disappointed than I’d ever thought possible.
That disgusted look in his eyes and the bitterness of his tone stayed with me throughout the rest of the evening.
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